Vulcan County reminds farmers of fire prevention precautions

Vulcan County is reminding people that campfires and fireworks aren't the only things that can trigger wildfires.

They've had a fire ban in place since July 24th but recently took to Facebook to remind local farmers of other wildfire risks.

Amid the harvest of dense bumper crops, the County is urging farmers to take precautions to prevent fire from being sparked by equipment.

Standing crops can dry very quickly, allowing flames to spread at an alarming rate.

They shared a few measures that should be taken:

• Ensure you have disks and water trucks available at the field you are harvesting. Disks can quickly create excellent fire breaks, while water trucks are essential for immediate fire suppression.
• Maintain machinery, check bearings, and ensure all equipment is in optimal condition. This can alleviate some of the issues caused by bearing-started fires, as well as fires caused by malfunction.
• Blow off your machinery regularly (each day or between crops). This prevents the buildup of dust and chaff around hot components, which can create drop fires.